How Spiritual Practices Support Healthy Aging —What to Watch Out For

When you reach middle age and beyond, you often face questions that medicine and physical fitness alone can’t answer: What is my purpose? How can I accept loss? What gives me meaning now?

Many people over 45 will look beyond material health toward spiritual or reflective practices to meet those longings.

Everyone has a vocation… the most fundamental vocation is to become the person whom God created. — Fr. James Martin, S.J., Jesuit writer and teacher.

Research confirms that older adults engaged in religious or spiritual practices tend to report lower anxiety and depression, stronger connections with others, a deeper sense of existential meaning, and sometimes even better survival.

Psychiatrist Harold G. Koenig, M.D., has long documented the surprising links between religious faith and better health outcomes.

There is considerable evidence that religious people do, in fact, live longer and are happier. Frequency of attending religious services seems to be one of the most powerful predictors. — Harold G. Koenig, M.D., founding director of The Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health at Duke University.

Studies like Religiosity/Spirituality and Mental Health in Older Adults (Coelho-Júnior et al., 2022) and Spirituality and Quality of Life in Older Adults: a Path Analysis (BMC Geriatrics) show that spirituality often contributes to mental quality of life even when physical illness is present. These practices help reduce loneliness, manage loss, and foster hope.

Traditional & Spiritual Practices That Boost Quality of Life

Before exploring newer spiritual services, it is helpful to recall the longstanding spiritual practices that many traditions hold dear. These form a foundation for peace and purpose as you age.

These practices work through psychological, social, and existential pathways: helping you interpret suffering; marking life transitions; strengthening connection with others; and encouraging hope and awe.

What Tarot, Astrology & Spiritual Advisors Are — and What They Do

As spiritual seekers look for more personalized reflection, some may turn to tarot, astrology, or holistic/spiritual advisors. These "guided spiritual conversations" can offer a different kind of space: less formal than therapy, more symbolic and reflective.

What They Are

• Tarot readers use symbolic cards to explore themes in your life — worries, relationships, transitions. The cards don’t “tell the future” in a scientific sense but serve as prompts for reflection.
• Astrologers interpret natal charts (based on birth date/time) or current celestial transits to highlight life cycles, potentials, and timing of changes.
• Spiritual advisors / intuitive guides / holistic healers may combine tools: energy work, intuitive listening, numerology, meditation, symbolism. Their goal is often emotional support, meaning-making, and helping you reflect on life’s big questions.

Potential Benefits

When used as entertainment or reflection, these services can bring:

• Comfort and Emotional Relief. They provide someone to talk with — to process fear, grief, or change.
• Insight and Self-Understanding. The symbolism in readings or charts can help you see recurring life themes or hidden feelings.
• Routine and Ritual. A regular reading or check-in with an advisor can anchor your week or month, giving something to look forward to.
• Connection and Novelty. Particularly if you feel isolated, these conversations can introduce fresh perspectives and connection—even online.

What to Watch Out For — Risks & Concerns

Even as spiritual advisors have many upsides, there are real risks, especially for older adults:

• Taking readings too literally. If someone treats tarot or astrology like deterministic prediction, it can lead to poor medical, financial, or life decisions.
• Unclear boundaries. Spiritual advisors are not licensed therapists or doctors. Their insight is personal, symbolic—not clinical.
• Financial risks. Some providers use high per-minute rates, promote recurring plans, or push for “special” sessions with vague promises. Older adults are often targeted.
• Dependency. Relying too much on spiritual guidance in place of professional support (mental health, medical care) can worsen underlying issues.
• Privacy & legitimacy issues. Disclosure of personal data (health, birth time, finances) can be misused. Credentials may be unclear. Platform safety and data security can vary widely.

What Legit Platforms Disclose

To help you choose wisely when using tarot, astrology, or spiritual advisor services, it helps to know what trusted platforms do well.

These are markers you can check. Platforms such as Keen, California Psychics, and Kasamba typically provide:

• Clear per-minute pricing and policies for refunds or credits
• Prominent disclaimers: “Entertainment only / 18+”
• Simple cancellation methods for subscriptions
• Transparent privacy policies detailing how your personal data will be used

These guided spiritual conversations can be enjoyable and rewarding for some older adults when used appropriately. There are options overseas as well. Astroideal, a European platform, you’ll find similar legal disclosures and privacy policies under EU standards. But U.S. users should double-check how refunds work, what jurisdiction applies in disputes, and how cross-border enforcement would proceed.

These disclosures help you spot which services are more trustworthy, and which may carry hidden risks.

Unconventional - But Can Be Helpful for Some

Some psychotherapists incorporate these unconventional practices into their therapy, or at any rate do not discourage patients from pursuing them.

I’m not teaching it, but I’m not saying you can’t bring this into the room. - California psychologist Charlynn Ruan.

Some therapists say that they support the use of any safe methods that their patients find helpful.

With psychotherapists’ encouragement, troubled people are seeking solace in pseudoscientific practices such as astrology and tarot cards. — John Horgan, in Scientific American.

What Family Members Should Be Aware Of

When your loved one (a parent, spouse, older friend) begins exploring guided spiritual services, thoughtful support from you can help them stay safe and get real benefit.

When partnering with them, consider:

• Encouraging full disclosure: Ask about who the guide is, what credentials (if any) they have, what they charge per minute or session, and what their cancellation and refund policies are.
• Verifying legitimacy: Look up customer reviews, check the Better Business Bureau, and read complaints or feedback.
• Watch for high-pressure tactics: If there are urgent-feeling upsells, claims of special powers or guarantees, or efforts to push long subscription packages — that’s a warning sign.
• Ensuring professional care remains part of the picture: If someone is suffering depression, anxiety, serious loss, or health issues, spiritual advisors can help—but they should not replace doctors or therapists.
• Protecting privacy: Be cautious about sharing birth dates/times, health details, finances, or other sensitive personal data. Confirm secure payment, data policies, and whether the platform shares or sells user information.
• Setting expectations: Whether the goal is entertainment, reflection, coping, or growth — clarity about what to expect helps avoid disappointment or misuse of service.

Legal & Ethical Framework in the U.S.

In the U.S., spiritual services like astrology and tarot are broadly protected under free speech—but many states regulate them under consumer-protection, licensing, or “entertainment only” statutes. Platforms must follow rules for subscriptions, refunds, data privacy, especially if operating online and across state or national boundaries.

Legitimate services usually include disclaimers, age requirements, clear costs, ways to cancel, and transparent privacy terms. When those are missing or vague, risk increases.

Balancing Spiritual Practice with Practical Care

Spiritual practices, whether traditional or contemporary—can deeply enrich your later years. The trick is to embrace what elevates but avoid what can mislead.

Strategies include:

• Using spiritual services in moderation — decide ahead of time how much time or money you’ll spend.
• Pairing spiritual practices with medical and mental health care, not instead of it.
• Reassessing over time: your needs will evolve. What served you in your 50s might not serve you in your 70s.
• Keeping trusted family or friends aware of what spiritual or advisor services you’re using — they can help you notice when something is going sideways.

Returning to Faith — and Finding Purpose Together

As you age, it’s common to feel a pull back toward the traditions that shaped you. Many older adults rediscover religious practice—particularly Roman Catholic or Protestant—in a grounded way to answer profound questions about purpose, loss, and meaning.

You were made by God, and you were made for God. Until you understand that, life will never make sense. — Pastor Rick Warren.

Regular worship, confession or pastoral counseling, prayer groups, and simple church activities can steady your week, widen your circle, reduce loneliness, and help an older adult age gracefully. Speaking with a priest or minister gives you a safe space to process grief and fear, while familiar rituals offer comfort and hope.

To age ‘gracefully’ is to accept life’s limits as blessings. We treasure the moments of companionship we enjoy with others. Most of all, we become more reflective. Presence to a mystery in and beyond us illumines everything we do, whatever our level of activity may be. — Catholic Digest, in an article “Aging Gracefully.

Doing this with your adult children can be a gift to everyone. Attending Mass or Sunday service together, sharing a meal after, or volunteering side by side creates time for real conversation. It also models healthy coping for younger generations and keeps your family connected through something deeper than schedules and to-do lists.

How to try this

• Start with one small step: a weekday service, a rosary or Bible study, or a church social you used to enjoy.
• Reach out to a priest or minister for a brief conversation about what you’re facing now—loss, caregiving stress, or purpose in retirement.
• Invite an adult child (or grandchild) to join you once a month; keep it low-pressure and enjoyable.
• Ask about accessibility, transportation, and lay ministries that make participation easier if mobility or energy is limited.

Religious Services in Assisted Living and Nursing Homes

As you or a loved one moves into assisted living, a nursing home, or another long-term care facility, spiritual care can play an important role in daily life.

Faith, ritual, and community don’t have to stop at the facility door. In fact, many facilities actively incorporate religious services to meet residents’ spiritual needs.

How Spiritual Care is Offered

Most long-term care communities, whether faith-based or secular, recognize that spirituality helps residents cope with illness, loss, and the transition to communal living.

Typical services include:

• On-site worship and prayer services held weekly or more frequently, often rotating among different traditions.
• Visiting clergy or chaplains who provide one-on-one pastoral counseling, sacraments, or prayer.
• Celebrations of religious holidays such as Christmas, Easter, Ramadan, Passover, or Diwali, sometimes adapted for residents with mobility or cognitive limitations.
• Private spaces for reflection, small chapels, meditation rooms, or prayer corners within the building.

Some assisted living communities offer transportation to local churches, synagogues, mosques, and other religious or spiritual events, allowing residents to continue practicing their faith.

Facilities Owned by Religious Organizations

Many long-term care facilities are founded or operated by faith-based organizations—Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, or others. Examples include Catholic Health Services, Lutheran Social Ministries, or Jewish senior living communities.

These settings typically:

• Emphasize spiritual life as part of holistic care.
• Employ full-time or part-time chaplains to minister to residents and staff.
• Offer sacraments (such as Communion, Anointing of the Sick, and confession) on a regular schedule for those who request them.
• Maintain values and mission statements rooted in their religious tradition, which can influence food, holiday celebrations, and end-of-life practices.

Benefits for Residents

• Continuity of faith life. Maintaining familiar rituals can ease the transition into communal living and support mental health.
• Community and belonging. Faith services foster friendships and provide a sense of stability.
• Spiritual support at critical moments. Chaplains can help residents cope with grief, illness, or end-of-life concerns in a familiar, supportive way.

Finding a Facility and What to Ask When Touring

You can start a search for a loved one by using the LTC News Caregiver Directory. You can search from over 80,000 caregivers and long-term care facilities nationwide.

• Start a search: Find Assisted Living Facilities Near You

When evaluating a facility for yourself or a loved one, include spiritual care on your checklist:

• What religious services are offered on site?
• Is there a chaplain or pastoral care team?
• How are different faith traditions accommodated?
• Can residents receive visits from their own clergy?
• Does the facility’s mission align with your personal or family beliefs?

Knowing these answers can help you or your loved one maintain spiritual well-being while living in long-term care.

Finding Peace and Purpose as You Age

You deserve more than simply a long life. You deserve a life filled with meaning, connection, ritual, and spiritual depth. Practices—from prayer or meditation to reading tarot or astrology—can help you explore that dimension.

But it’s essential to hold them with care: use them as sources of reflection and entertainment, not strict truth; choose platforms that are transparent, ethical, and clear about what they offer; keep professional care in view when needed.

When done well, spiritual practices become part of a larger, balanced path: body, mind, spirit — and a network of care from faith, community, and loved ones